Nirmala Sitharaman Office@nsitharamanoffc
For BSNL, our government has provided three revival packages totalling ₹3.22 lakh crore.
We have dealt with the burden of oil bonds, addressed the “Fragile Five” economy, and undertaken bank restructuring and recapitalization. These were not small amounts but those of ₹3 lakh crore - ₹4 lakh crore, and now even fertiliser subsidies.
Wherever there were weaknesses in the economy, they were left unaddressed earlier, and we are now paying for all of it. Yet, we are being questioned about GDP growth and fiscal deficit. The reality is that we are clearing the liabilities left behind.
On spectrum allocation, after our government came to power, spectrum in bands such as 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2500 MHz and 3300 MHz has been provided to BSNL at auction-determined prices for 4G and 5G services.
On BSNL, I must respectfully say that every criticism made against it is incorrect.
If anything, BSNL was pushed into a critical condition earlier. It was in the ICU, and we have revived it and brought it back on track. The Union Cabinet has approved revival packages for BSNL.
The capital infusion between 2022 and 2023 stands at ₹2.26 lakh crore. This includes spectrum allocation, capital expenditure on infrastructure, AGR dues, and restructuring of the PSU.
The Make in India mandate for BSNL is a strength, not a restriction. There is no restriction on BSNL. In fact, under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, BSNL has placed an order for 1 lakh indigenously developed 4G sites for pan-India deployment.
As of 28th February 2026, 97,906 sites have been installed with 4G equipment, out of which 96,103 are already operational.
Additionally, the BharatNet Programme is strengthening BSNL further.
An amount of ₹1.39 lakh crore has been approved to extend optical fibre connectivity to all villages across the country.
- Smt @nsitharaman in Rajya Sabha
